sports. Eugene portions of this show are recorded.
Strap in and be prepared. I love growing the
game. I can guarantee you, any other West Coast
team that's watching this, I'm sure USC is gnashing
their teeth right now saying, how come we couldn't
have thought of this first? Interesting guests.
Kelly Gray, Mike Parker, Coach Mark Waskowski,
Melissa Lombardi, Max Torres, El Toro, joining
us. Sharp opinions. I think if you're a supporter
of the NBA, that you should at least have some
level of interest in the WNBA because the things
that interest you as a NBA fan should still interest
you as a WNBA fan. That's just my opinion. And
some smiles. Can you guess what position I played
in football? Left out? No, I did not. Yeah, exactly.
I did think about that for a second. But yes,
actually, I did not play. I was not picking up.
Goose tried to kill me today on the golf course.
Advanced warning was given. It just apparently
was not heard. I will dispute that in a court
of law. It's Danny Havel. If you're driving and
you're trying to do this in your head, pull off
the side of the road. I don't need any accidents.
Justin Grossweiner. I love to hear a coach go,
we're going to focus on that bad four game stretch
the rest of the season. season. We'll never do
that again. That might be a good point. I don't
know. Maybe you could do that. Maybe that's another
strategy. Danny and Justin starts now on Fox
Sports Eugene and Fox Sports Newport. Hello,
neighbors. Welcome high atop the Delta Tri at
the Crystal Palace. From the Midfoot Beverages
Studios, Fox Sports Eugene Fox Sports, Newport.
This is the fastest 60 minutes in sports. The
Danny and Justin radio program big show for you
today. We'll get into it shortly. Another duo
of guests here on the fastest 60 minutes. Yogi
Roth and Mark Wasikowski will join us talking
wildly different things, but some of them somewhat
the same. There are similarities between the
sports landscape in college athletics. Thanks
for tuning in. You can follow us on the old Twitter.
Danny and Justin also wherever you platform your
podcasts or your music Spotify I heart any of
that We are there Danny and Justin fastest 60
minutes in sports a little bit cooler today high
80s Gonna go play some golf after the show with
the general up at lower wood I'm doc right over
there is my tag -team partner Justin gross one
of ABJ Just think it's a shame if you're not
a soccer fan or a football fan or whatever you
want to call it the absolutely Filthy goal that
Bob they just scored he he just absolutely put
one in the back of the net from we had to be
45 yards up and it wasn't 45 yards. It was about
22 yards, maybe oh That's the 18 It was halfway
in between midfield and the 18. So I'm just saying
it's been great. This is known as the the Kind
of the quiet season for sports, but with the
World Cup going on right now, like I'm I'm loving
it a lot going on. I'm just having a great time.
Obviously a lot stuff going on that's off the
field stuff we're going to talk about, but you
know some stuff that isn't so good. But now if
you're an Oregon baseball fan, not great at all.
So by the way, we're going to have Mark Waskowski
on. So full disclosure, we talked to coach this
morning. We already knew about Angel IA. entering
the transfer portal. We did not, although we
did have an idea when we talked to coach that
there was something else that could not be great.
And there it is, is Junior Milwaukee also enters
the transfer portal. And I think the more important
thing that we're going to talk about with coach
is relevant is the transfer portal itself and
what players are going to have to decide on for
themselves. in terms of their education, in terms
of their growth as a player, and in terms of
money. Which, listen, both those players were
all -American freshmen, along with Braden Jackson,
who is still... I hope he's not having to make
a huge decision that he remains a duck, but you
don't know. But they had such great seasons that
the reality is, it's an arms race. And I have
no doubt in my mind... because they were both
starters, that somebody waved a check at them.
And I was like, you know what? Here we go. I
will be shocked if they both do not go to SEC
teams. I was about to say exactly that. I would
be shocked if they did not end up in the SEC.
But it's tough, right? Because we've talked about
this. You can't blame these guys for doing this
because this is the opportunity that they have.
So they're gonna take those opportunities. It's
the same thing with anybody at any level of sports.
If somebody comes along and says, I wanna make
your life easier, I wanna give you more money,
I'm gonna give you this opportunity, then a lot
of times it's hard to say no. So I will just
put it, and we gotta get to Yogi Arath here in
a second, because he's gonna be hanging on. He's
back East right now, gonna work for NBC Sports
a little bit. And we're going to talk about the
Brendan Sworsby thing, and we'll squeeze in a
question about Oregon football as well. But let's
put a bow on it. We'll talk about it in the last
segment as well after we hear from Woz in our
second segment of the program, is put it to you
like in your own career. And this is the way
I would frame it to anyone. If somebody offers
you at a competing company a bigger office, more
money, more responsibility, and a bigger stage,
how many people? Would not take that how many
tell me honestly if you were offered an advancement
And that's what these things would be because
it comes down to money and they're getting advice
Hopefully they're getting good advice from the
people around them their agents their family
Whoever is in that inner circle and they have
to make a decision for themselves I would hate
to have to make those decisions when I'm 18 19
20 years old because You got to lean into a lot
of people you trust. There's some people that
say you can't put a price on loyalty And I do
think that loyalty is a big thing when developing
players in a program. It's important to have
that connection with players. But I also think
it's getting to the point where I think it's
probably really hard to have that level of connection
with players because there is this transactional
relationship in a lot of ways. And, you know,
in the Brendan Storesby situation, we saw that
they obviously didn't do their homework on this
guy. And I think one of those reasons was because
He is, in a way, the position of power as the
player, and they have to dictate to his terms,
and it turns out they got a bad apple. And you
know what is irritating? We gotta get to Hugh.
I know, we gotta get to Hugh. He's on the line.
So, the whole big booster Cody Campbell, you
know, president of sports at Texas Tech, coming
out and saying that they maintain that Texas
Tech did the right thing, that they were not...
You know and this was and this was now if you
read a statement and very interesting and pull
the line out Brendan Sorsby was the one who filed
this Request for an injunction. It was not the
school. So now It was his it was his idea to
do that not us we we maintain the integrity of
the game Yeah, those five guys sitting around
a table even though they were treating him like
they would treat their son those are the words
of the director those were the words so but but
and Brennan Soarsby probably figured out, because
he had a dip in his own pocket, like I think
I told you, that this was going to be a long
-protracted, hundreds of thousands of dollars
expense if he wanted to fight the NCAA in court,
which the Big 12 was suing. Bring the NCAA back
to into the picture So let's head on over to
the organ man clinics hotline at three four three
five six seven three and welcome in our good
friend You can follow him at yogi Roth the y
option as well It's a great podcast that he does
and he also writes out some really cool columns
there Let's welcome in our friend the governor
from the Big Ten Network and now NBC Sports It's
yogi Roth yogi. I know you're back keys. How's
the weather back there? It's kind of perfect.
I was just talking to my wife on the phone, like,
hey, it's pretty good. You know, it's where I
grew up. She's like, yeah, you're crazy. We're
not moving back. It's perfect. It reminds me
of my roots, man, to be honest with you. So it's
nice to be back. It's not too hot. I'm in this
little town up in Connecticut. Outside of the
NBC headquarters and everybody's getting juice
man. I'm looking forward to the season Yeah,
it's gonna be exciting So I was gonna say you
said I sent up a little try a balloon just to
see what the reaction was and she she caught
you right away Is that what happened? Okay. Yeah.
Yeah, we've been exploring bunch of different
places But I think too much family in Southern
California and the waves are a little bit better
here than they are in other parts of the country
All right, so you can follow Yogi. And by the
way, subscribe to the Y option. Does a great
podcast here. A lot of really good interviews
and you get a nice new little sheet into your
inbox. You don't have to think about it. Comes
right to you. So subscribe to the Y option as
Yogi Roth joins us. Well, we wanted to get you
on last week and I'm glad we kind of didn't because
now this whole Brendan Sorsby thing has kind
of flushed itself out into the resolution where
honestly I was hoping it would get to where I
think the young man steps up, takes his accountability
and now just moves on to the next level because
he clearly violated one of the cardinal rules
that you do not break as an athlete in any level
in any profession is betting and now unfortunately
in the country Yogi you know we've made gambling
kind of I mean, it's everybody can do it wherever
you got accounts all over DraftKings and FanDuel
are, you know resplendent across all of the the
platforms so I guess my question to you is this
is Did this did this take too long to get to
where we ended up getting? Probably but I think
there's gonna be some elements that may be beneficial
of going through it right it, you know, I think
it forced the world to see that I think. At times
you know people in leadership positions can step
up and stand up for the right thing, which I
think you saw the big 12 conference do that in
a DS. Absolutely You know the call it the owner
of Texas Tech. I thought at times he's fighting
for the good of the sport, and at times he's
fighting for the. Good of his team, and I don't
think you can have both. Um and I think we saw
that. You know, I'm glad that Brendan Sarsby
did what he did in terms of declaring for the
supplemental draft I don't think he was ever
going to play but there was also a part of me
that like if this thing kept going on Maybe we
got to the point where the sport tried to really
fix some of the issues We can't ignore them,
you know, they exist in college football It's
the most challenging part of the offseason is
there's a gray cloud sometimes hanging over the
sport whether it's Rev share and then NIL on
top of it, right? It's clearly not an equal playing
field when it comes to paying players We all
know that but that's kind of the reality of it.
Then you look at some of the rules I think it
got people really looking at the sport and saying
whoa. Whoa. Whoa, we gotta change some things
I think in addition with if somebody's got two
sons And none of them thankfully are gambling
yet, but that's gonna be based on the research.
I've seen that that's gonna be the new You know
addiction when you go to college it already is
So I think Brennan Sorsby, he's got a chance
to continue to work through his addiction and
we've all been around addiction in some former
fashion and we know that it's not go somewhere
for a couple months and you're good. It's a lifelong
mentality. So I think he's got a chance to really
impact the next generation. I'm seeing these
young athletes or just young men all over the
country. They struggle communicating. Everything's
on a phone. while they're not drinking or they're
not dating at the rate that they used to, they're
even more embedded in their phone and now they're
gambling. So I hope, and I don't know him at
all, but I would imagine there's gonna be some
good that comes out of him from his perspective
of being an ally to people that are navigating
those things. And you're right, like at the end
of the day, Todd Blackwood, when I talked about
it, got consequences in life. Whether you're
my 11 year old or you're him. I still don't think
we got to that point. I think the sport needs
to really take a hard look at every time you
don't get your way, you can't just complain to
a local judge. And we've seen that far too often.
And it's disappointing because that's the point
of the rules. It's the point of the law. And
I'll finish with this. And I said this with Todd.
I think all athletes, myself included, since
we're young, you know that you've got a skill.
You get a little bit longer of a leash. It's
just the truth. You don't wait in line to go
to the club. You get a little extra time to do
your paper. You just have always had a little
bit different access. And I don't like that,
but that's kind of the truth. And I think we
looked at something right in the eye of a premier
athlete who's making a bunch of money, not having
to adhere to fundamental rules. And that's a
really horrible precedent. And it's something
that's already happening now on a smaller scale.
Hope that more eyes get opened up to hate just
because you can play a game doesn't mean you
should always get a bigger backyard when it comes
to Decisions that you make got to be accountable
for them versus You know just complaining about
them and then get another chance, so we'll see
and I think you said something interesting there
You said you almost wish that it had gone further.
Can you get in that a little bit more because
I think that's really interesting Well, I think
about like where? the conference was going, right?
And ADs were going and other teams in terms of
playing Texas Tech, that is its own issue, right?
Like, okay, fine, put that to the side. But to
me, the greater people within the sport of college
football that I talked to was like, okay, at
least there's gonna be a reckoning now. Every
AD you talk to talks about that moment that's
gonna come in college football. No one's saying
that they can keep up to the pace of what exists.
And I know that there's a lot of articles written
about, well, they keep doing it and they keep
finding the money somewhere. Yeah, they do at
certain programs, but there's also certain programs
that get crippled in other athletic departments
that are other sports within an athletic department
that are no longer going to clearly have the
resources that they once had. And the one thing
that hasn't changed in all of this is the percentage
of players going to the NFL. You know, like you
still, yes, you can be a millionaire in college,
but you also still need to have a job for the
next 40 years. You need to have a future. So
I just think that, you know, we were close to,
I think, the whole thing saying, whoa, what are
we doing? And to your point, it's all calmed
down and washed over. Well, what if we keep the
gas on a little bit? Like, what is the NCAA?
What is the rules and restrictions? What do conferences
have autonomy to decide to do? I think there
should be some of that within college athletics
now, because all conferences are not created
equal. It's just the truth. And you look at the
money, you look at the talent and the NFL staff
sizes. Etc So I just hope some of these things
get decided The challenge is the question that
all of us have been trying to answer for a long
time is like who who is the one making those
decisions? Right now your companies as a commissioners.
I don't do it. I don't know I mean get me back
to third down in the red zone like Far enough
I could care, you know, but but it needs to be
done and I think people are really thinking that
and I think this event will probably cause Hopefully
some change to happen. Well, and that's kind
of where I want to get to next and by the way
We are with the great Yogi Roth We call him the
governor and an author of a book that you need
to go out and get and it's still on Amazon right
now five -star quarterback He co -opted with
Joey Roberts. It's a great read and sign up for
the why option football at the old Twitter verse
and why option get it into your inbox great stuff
he'll be in the fall for NBC Sports, maybe a
little Big Ten Network, we hope, as we join with
Yogi occasionally and a lot more during the football
season as it comes up. So last question on this,
and I want to talk a little Oregon football with
you because I know you've been doing some dives
now. Incidents like this with Brendan Soarsby,
doesn't it amplify truly the need to put some
teeth behind the NCAA because it seems like over
and over and over again with how they got washed
over with NIL. And then when these things come
up, it just seems like the NCAA just keeps showing
up as this toothless entity that doesn't have
any kind of bite. I mean, everybody's been talking
about, like, we need a commissioner. We need
a czar for college athletics and especially college
football. Does this help get us into that discussion
a little bit more? Yeah, I probably don't know
all the details like Rob Mullins would be a great
cast or bring on Kevin Griffith now from Oregon
State the ad there was a dear friend and I'm
really happy for him but I Don't know. I would
say this like on one hand. Yeah, you're right
Like no, you know, you can challenge the bite
as you said about the NCAA fair Also, I've seen
that bite, you know when I was down at SC and
what sanctions did to the program I don't think
there like there was a million appeals to that.
It didn't matter Okay, so I still think there's
probably an element of bite that we're capable
of You know that the NCAA is capable of you know,
we see at times so I don't think I know the The
power or you know, like the purview around okay
what you can appeal on what you can't what really?
Comes about it when you do or if you don't But
I think the one thing that I learned this from
the great Ted Robinson is the only time you make
a coaching change is when the team has lost hope.
The fan base has lost hope. The administration
has lost hope. I question that. I use that word
with the NCAA of like, is there hope that they
can fix this? There was when they brought in
the new head of the NCAA in Charlie Baker, just
based on his political background and the political
element within college athletics. But I don't
think it's a stretch to say that it hasn't gone
great when you look at conference realignment
and you look at NIL, you look at rev share, you
look at managing different NIL deals. It's been
hard. And I think they're hamstrung a little
bit too. So I don't know what the answer is.
I think a lot of people say it's legislation
from Washington. I don't think I know enough
to know what does that really mean? Are they
gonna set rules that are then going to be the
rules? Again, I go back to like all conferences
already created equal. Like when I look at the
meteorites where I live in right now, right?
You know, you look at the Big Ten and what they've
done record -setting meteorites deals like should
they put those meteorites together with every
other conference for the greater good of the
sport? I don't think that's what commissioners
are hired to do. I think they're hired to represent
their schools. So again, like you go to like
even a bigger question. What is the role of that?
What would a czar actually be like? I think those
are the details that The pat chun's of the world
the jen cohen's like these 80s that live in every
day are just so much more suited to answer Than
me and because i'm kind of with you. I I have
the same questions Um, and it bums me out, you
know, that's why I try to compete so hard on
saturdays to take the helmet off of these players
and tell their stories because when you're 50
new players on a team like how do you get to
know them? You know, few teams have a spring
game. So I love what Dan Lanning has done on
so many levels. And look what he's doing. He's
taking his team to Japan here in another week
or so. I just love those parts of how they compete
to tell the stories of their players, because
I think it's important, you know, not only to
retain them and gain them in the NIL world, but
to elevate them and develop them. And that's
why I hope we just keep shining a light on that.
And I try to do that around the Oregon program,
because I think, again, like the lazy take on
that was, well, they just have all the Nike money.
Well, I don't know about that. They've got the
resources like the premier blue bloods and big
time programs in the country, but they also do
a hell of a job of developing players and supporting
them through so many different elements of their
athletic and academic journey that I think needs
to get highlighted. And I know you're gonna try
to get up here for a game at some point this
season Yogi And I know you're much more about
the X's and O's than the stuff we've been talking
about so far in this interview But I did want
to ask you about this team this season What's
the one thing when you think about this Oregon
team this year? If you just put it down to like,
you know a couple things that you think about
when you just briefly think about the team Like
what are you thinking about for this Oregon team
this year? Well, they're one of the best teams
in my eyes I've seen I did a spring tour that
included Notre Dame, Ohio State, Indiana Oregon
SC Washington Everybody other than really Michigan
and Penn State in terms of you know What would
probably consider the top teams in the Big Ten?
And I think Notre Dame is one of the top teams
in the country and and they are at the top in
that conversation I mean them Notre Dame, Ohio
State, Indiana. I mean it was awesome and I saw
them all within a couple days one another so
whatever that's worth in a one practice setting.
But I think I know the ducks as probably as well
as anybody. And I just think that this is the
next step for them. Now, does that mean they're
going to take the next step and get to the national
championship game? We'll find out. I mean, you
and I both know how many things got to go your
way, the ball bouncing your way, making the throws
like they did at Iowa, making the plays like
they had, you know, throughout last season and
some type contested games. I think they can.
I think they're more than capable of doing that.
And I think they should. I think that should
be expectation for this team is to get back to
the playoffs and make a ton of noise. I think
they're loaded. I love the players they brought
in up front. I'm a big fan of the skill players.
I think Dante Moore is as gifted as anybody in
America at his position. I think the way they've
developed him is incredible. I know they have
two new coordinators, but to me I'm a huge fan
of one you can hire from within, especially people
that have been around for a couple years like
they have in both OC and DC there. So I'm I'm
so jacked for this team. I think they are built
for what this season should be. Okay, so what
do I think about? I think about the game at SC.
That's the first thing that comes to mind. Because
the Trojans, the Billboard Reads in LA, the time
is now. And they looked the part. They had a
different feel about them. They had a blue collar
work ethic mentality that I saw for the first
time in a while when I was there in the spring.
I think it's gonna be an awesome game. And that
game will dictate recruiting. I mean, you see
it all on social media. So that's probably the
first thing I think about after I think about
this team and the masterful job that I think
Dan Lanning has done since he's taken over in
Eugene. Well, Yogi, lots to talk about as we
head into the fall. A lot more X's and O's, and
we're going to look forward to having a regular
visit with you here on the old radio program.
So take care. Travel safe back to the wife and
the family. And we're really looking forward
to seeing you this fall. Yeah, but back at you,
brother. Congrats on all your success, too. Looking
forward to getting together with you again soon.
Yeah, you bet. There he goes. The great Yogi
Roth. Follow him at Yogi Roth on the old socials.
We come back. It's Mark Waszkowski joining us.
There is Transfer Portal News afoot, the Oregon
baseball program, and Gunner is going to hop
in and give us his take as the Oregon baseball
coach comes on next on the Danny and Justin radio
program. Fox Sports Eugene, Fox Sports Newport.
for joining us tonight. Danny Justin radio program
rolls on for a Tuesday. Thanks for. Stopping
by and letting us your ears for a little bit.
Let's dive right over to the organ man clinics
hotline at 3435673. Welcome back. Man We've gotten
to know this guy over the last couple of years,
and it's been great, and he's been a. Awesome
contributor to our program by lending us his
time, which is always valuable. It's the head
coach of your Oregon Ducks. Mark Coach, have
you had time? I don't know if you have because
of the transfer portal opening up like right
as the Texas series is going on and then you
had the super regional and then you're diving
right into the portal and re recruiting your
own players and then going after things to fill
up. Have you had time to reflect on this past
season and what what it was and what it ended
up being? Thanks for having me on. I mean, this
is great. Of course, I'll always come on with
you guys when you ask, and thanks for the ask.
Have I had time to reflect? Yeah. No, not really.
I mean, literally, the transfer portal opened
up while we were still playing, which is really
an interesting timing of it. Um, but nevertheless,
we're, you know, we're planning and we're getting
ready for super regionals and the portals open
and, you know, you're trying to invest all your
time in what's important now, which is trying
to win a game and, and beat a Texas team. That's
just freaking ridiculously loaded and stacked.
Um, and so that's where we spend our investment.
Then as soon as that didn't work out to our liking,
um, you know, you got immediately, I was. I went
immediately on the road. We had exit meetings.
We got on the road and we've been doing, like
you said, you eloquent, perfectly described pattern.
We got into transfer portal, making a bunch of
calls. But again, you know, we just, no, we haven't
really reflected, other than the fact that I
had a guy tell me the other day, hey coach, great
job. You guys are, you know, for the last four
years, you're one only, there's only three other
schools in the country that have made in the
last four years, playoffs every year with it.
with at least three super regional teams and
you're one of the four. I said, well, that's
great. I don't think I get a bonus for that.
I'd rather be in a culture world series. I would,
uh, you know, and, and it is, it is credit to
the, I guess the directions could, um, and the
credit to the staff and the players and all that
we've heard all the cliches, but I really do
appreciate our players. I love them. And, and
now I'm trying like a son of a gun to keep them
together and keep everybody here. And And that's
an interesting formula. Let's put it that way.
And you mentioned the timing of the portal. And
you were actually the one that literally reminded
us the day the portal opened when we were talking
to you. And it was a surprise to Danny and I.
But there's teams. You were playing last weekend.
Other teams are playing now. How much does it
set teams back? when the transfer portal opens
and like you said you're spending all this energy
toward that goal and why wouldn't you but you
obviously there's energy that needs to be spent
to get the recruits as well if you're going to
be able to do that um how much does it put you
back um i don't know that's a good question i
ultimately you know the transfer portal I think
the transfer portal is pretty much about money,
right? So if I mean, there are some kids in there
and you kind of got a sift through it the best
you can to find guys that are looking for a better
opportunity. Maybe a guy from a small school
that's looking for a bigger school type thing.
But I mean, it's with all the analytics and metrics
that's out there. All the college coaches know
exactly. It's not hard to get information out
there. You know exactly what kind of players
or pitchers that are available. And it comes
down to a market. It comes down to how much money
you got. So how much do you get put behind? Well,
you probably can't make as many phone calls to
initiate contacts with the guys that are out
there and in the transfer portal. But at the
end of the day, even if you contacted them first,
if you had three schools contact them immediately
after you did with way deeper pockets, guess
what? You're about to get a no pretty quick.
And that's just the reality of it. Is there like
a reason that you can understand or that we can
all understand? Why the dates of the portal are
the way that they are like does it have to be
like this? Well, I don't know I think that their
intent is to say well these these guys need to
know where they're gonna go to school next year
and so let's try to get these dates to where
they can Know where they're gonna go to school
and plan and get apartments and get their lives
square Which I think it's sound reasoning, but
there's Obviously we're still playing and then
a major league draft doesn't even happen until
July 13, 14, and 15 and deals get done a little
bit before and a little bit after July 13, 14,
and 15. So it's just not a reality in our game
that really fits very well with this window.
I don't know who makes those decisions somebody
way higher than I am up in the food chain and
You know, I don't know we just kind of go with
what they tell us, right? Yeah, everyone's playing
by the same rules Mark Wasikowski We call him
gunner here on the Danny adjusted radio program
the Ducks head baseball coach who's knee -deep
in the portal I will talk about some of the subtractions
and some of the additions that you were able
to grab and then some of the unknowns because
they do relate to the draft so coach the portal
closes on June the 30th what What's your first
step in evaluating your team? You said you had
exit interviews. So obviously, that is the first
step. It's like, all right, who's coming back?
Who do we want where? And where do they fit in
the overall scheme? And then you go out and then
you go, you know, I don't want to say it this
way, but it's the truth. You go shopping. You
got to go, OK, who can we get and where do we
need to fill? So where does that process start
with your team, your squad? Yeah, you kind of
hit it. Very that's a good way to put and I even
in one of my exit meetings I even referred to
it as look and I grabbed my wallet I think I
had $52 in my wallet or something like that and
I pulled it out and I said hey look man I got
52 bucks in my wallet my analogy with it Which
is this like if you're asking me for 60 bucks
like what am I gonna tell you right now? Yeah
I got 52, man. That's what I got is 52. So if
you need 60, I don't have a way of getting more.
And so I was using that analogy. And you hope
it lands. The good news is this. After exit meetings,
it seems like we've been able to, at least informally,
come to terms with the lion's share of our roster,
minus the couple kids. we've done that. You probably
saw some news yesterday, which wasn't awesome,
that we had known for a day or so before. Unless
we can probably work some magic, we're probably
going to have some bad news coming out today
or tomorrow. That's what we're trying to not
have happen. Like I said, you know, I mean, the
analogy I used in the office where I said, hey,
look, you know, I mean, I got 52 bucks, and I'd
be more than willing to give you 52 bucks. But,
you know, if you're looking for 60 or more than
52, I'm stuck. So most of the guys, good news,
most of the guys have come to terms and some
really, really good ones on a roster. And then
we got a couple that. You know, we're we're doing
everything we can right now. Let's put it that
way guys. So so coach what kind of? Disadvantaged
I'll put it this way I mean is it going to be
just a goal post that just keeps getting pushed
out further and further because it's like all
right I can get to this money and it's not going
to be like a Texas or an LSU is going to have
but I can get closer to them and then they go
out and spend another five million dollars and
they increase their budgets because the guys
are at the top of the food chain keep pushing
it further and further. So, I mean, is it come
down to as well for your team? Yes, the money
is necessary and there needs to be more of it,
but it's also about what kind of atmosphere and
coaching environment and building a player up
that you can offer that maybe other programs
can't because of you and your staff. Well, I
mean, you try to go down that road for sure,
and you've got a lot of data that can speak to
those numbers, right? But at the end of the day,
that has to be the players. that has to outweigh
the compensation fees. And the compensation fee
seems like that's the biggest driver. So I would
love to be able to say, hey, let's talk about
player development. And when we do, we say, OK,
player development. This is what we've been able
to do. A lot of times, though, that doesn't stick.
So, how do you self -evaluate and improve in
this situation and roster building and these
relationships with these kids if like you said
so much of its monetary Then is there a way that
you can improve? Oh Yeah, oh yeah, there's always
ways you can improve so I guess to your first
question like when you start talking about player
development I mean we can point to some some
really fascinating stats, right? Sorry, I'm out
of breath. I just Ran up the stairs. We've got
a recruit here on campus, but okay So like when
we when we point to metrics we can just go hey
look, you know our coaching staff literally in
college baseball today We have more major leaguers.
We've coached more major leaguers We've had more
draft picks than everybody in the entire country
Wow And so if you want to be a major leaguer
We've been around more guys that have made it
to the major leagues while we've helped them
through college than any other coaching staff
in the country I've got over 50 major leaguers
and over 150 guys drafted, and until Tony Vitolo,
who was the head coach at Tennessee and now he's
the manager of the Giants, until he left, like
I was number two, now, hey, we took over the
top spot, great. So when those numbers can be
presented to recruits, great, we hope that means
something to them, and it does, right? But at
the end of it, it's still gonna come down to
comp. So there's three ways that you basically
can get comp. more money. One is through NIL,
one is through revenue sharing, one is through
increased scholarships. I think the lowest hanging
fruit, guys, everybody hates NIL. Well, it's
real, it's here. And me stomping my feet doesn't
matter. Like the kids are getting compensated
in a combination of these three. So the biggest
thing for me, area of improvement, I'm gonna
try like crazy to... get our scholarships to
where we're allowed to have them. And right now,
the rules changed. So two years ago, two years
ago, the rules changed, and we were allowed to
have 11 .7 scholarships in our program. And then
they changed and said, now you can have 34. Right.
We still have 11 .7. Right. You can get up to
34, but you haven't been able to fund up to the
34. Bingo. And so as we have, like, for example,
we have an outfit named called the Diamond Ducks.
The Diamond Ducks have now gotten involved with
this and they're helping us fund more scholarships,
which without them, my God, we have a chance
to survive right now because of the Diamond Ducks
and what they're doing, right? And the more we
can do with scholarship funding, the better chance
we'll have to be able to spread out funds because
it doesn't really matter where the funds come
from. The kids don't care. They just want to
make sure that they're If they've got an offer
for, you know, I'll just keep it simple. If they
got an offer for 100 bucks and you're only offering
them 10 bucks, guess where they're probably going
to go? 100 bucks. Yeah, they're going to take
the 100 bucks and they're going to say, well,
the development's not quite as good, but it's
still an awesome place. The people we're recruiting
against are a couple that you listed, but all
those SEC schools, Texas, LSU, Vanderbilt, all
those teams you're seeing on a regular year in
and year out basis in College World Series. That's
who we're up against. And at least the good news
is every recruit out there is like, man, Oregon,
awesome. I would love to be a part of that. This
is, yeah, you guys are in my final five. And
the last thing we want to do is get out of the
final five because just the offer is just not
competitive compared to the other ones. And so
we're trying to do everything we can and address
this issue with those three ways of increasing
your means. those would be the path of improvement
as you asked. Mark Wasikowski has led the Ducks
two out of the last three years to super regionals
He joins us here in the post script and now right
back in it You know doesn't end on the field
of competition and now off the field and competition
in the transfer portal by the way Angel Laya
Colin Clark Tyler Holly have all declared and
entered for the portal so they'll be playing
somewhere else Unless Oregon can do something
to keep them here, which is obviously still in
the works Nothing's been finalized yet, but you
did grab a kid out of the portal sophomore infielder
Carter Johnstone from Vanderbilt. Talk about
this kid and what you like because it might not
have been a lot a lot of radars but this is a
this is a pretty good ballplayer. I can share
this with much with you guys regarding the incoming
players I can't talk about incoming players until
things are solidified. And so that's not really
an area that I can go down yet. I can tell you
this much. In general, we've had some ads to
our program that I think fans are really going
to like. OK, great. So now the next steps, Coach.
until June 30th, this is all going to be up in
the air. I mean, and you don't want that phone
to ring because normally it's probably not going
to be the best news in the world if it's coming
from inside your program, but outside the program.
Let's be honest about that, right? You don't
want that phone call. It's not like somebody
wants to deliver bad news. They're probably not
going to do it in person. They're going to do
it via a phone call. So, I mean, that ebb and
flow because there's nothing's going to get really
decided until June 30th. So, I mean, what's the
What's the game plan now until the end of the
month? Well, I mean, I'm on the phone constantly
with agents. Number one, player reps for the
current players that we have and player reps
for the guys that are being recruited. So that's
number one. Campus visits. We've got two pitchers
coming in the next two days and one coming in
at the end of the week and one coming in at the
beginning of next week. So you're really active
with those things. And then the biggest thing
is this. between myself and my assistants, we're
really on the phone. And I think you said re
-recruiting your players at the beginning of
this segment. I think that's fairly accurate.
And so whether you're having coffee with them,
sitting in an office, meeting up with them somewhere
off campus and just connecting, yeah, all the
above, man. We just feel this much. We've built
this thing. to a good level. We've got donor
interest now that has increased substantially.
And yet, you know, we're still, as you can tell,
we still are at a place where we haven't solved
all the problems quite yet. And so we're just,
we're fighting and scratching right now. And
like you said, until the end of the month, that's
just what it's gonna be. And so you're just really
hoping that somebody that supposedly has said,
yes, I'm returning and can't wait. It's awesome,
coach. Hopefully that tune doesn't change and
they come back later and say, ah, you know what?
I don't know. I had to change a heart, something
like that, right? So you're trying to prevent
any of those things. And then you're trying to
increase your roster and have a chance to where
you can win an international championship and
get to Omaha, which is obviously something that's
right in the middle of our goal. Well, coach,
I mean, things have changed since you suited
up and held down the hot corner down there at
Pepperdine a lot in the game. I mean, the only
thing you ever really had to worry about is some
kid wanted to go get a check from Major League
Baseball. I mean, that was really the biggest
thing. So now it's a wild, wild world. And, you
know, I'll give a lot of these kids some shade
because, you know, they might not be getting
the best advice in the world from the people
that are close to them. They're young men who
are trying to figure out their way in the world.
I mean, you know, 18, 19, 20 years old. If somebody
was starting to wave checks at me, I don't know
how resistant I would be to it. So I mean, I
got to give all these kids, you know, a bit of
shade in that respect. And I know you do too,
you respect all of them. But when you got guys,
literally, I got I think I got, you know, between
me and maybe two assistants, I think we got three
guys on our staff that are making like over 100
,000 150 ,000 or $100 ,000 a year. And, and when
you got three guys on staff making over that,
and yet these guys have offers of maybe my gosh,
some of the higher offers right now are probably
five times at least that number. Yeah. And you're
going, you're going, wow. Okay. So, right? I
mean, you, you know, and you look around the
field sometimes of other teams and you go, whoa,
man, that guy, that guy's, that guy's making
more money than I am as a head coach. Isn't that
crazy? Hey, that's the world it is. I can't fault
the player. If you were a player, why would you?
Why would I think this is awesome for players
out there? You know, in any sport, I think it's
a. a great opportunity for them to be compensated.
I don't fault them. It is what it is. I don't
even bitch about the system because the system
is what it is. It's just as your competitive
juices get going then, you just go, all right,
well, we got to figure out a path to be able
to nail this thing. And the facts are the facts.
That's fine. We've talked about some of the things,
but... You know, it's, it doesn't, it's not a
complaint fest about, oh, this or oh that. No,
it's just reality. This is what's going on. And
for us to be able to maximize our chances to
get where we need to be, what do we need to do?
And so let's try to do that. And that's really
our conversations internally in the office is
like, Hey, don't bitch about it. Just say, Hey,
okay. Well, what are we going to do? And how
are we going to get there? And that's kind of
where we're at. All right coach. Well as always
we're gonna let you go. We know you're really
busy We really appreciate your time and uh the
fans the support that they give this team They
need to keep doing it We're gonna direct people
to diamond ducks as well to see what they can
do to help out the program But go out and get
them and again, we'll we'll catch up soon Hey,
appreciate it guys. You guys have a great day.
Go ducks. There he goes. Mark Wasikowski. We
call him gunner the economics of college athletics
crazy raising it's ugly head yet again in every
sport i feel like we learn something every day
yeah go out and re -recruit your own team again
craziness all right come back danny justin radio
program will wind up a tuesday with you here
live for the bigfoot beverages studios fox sports
eugene fox sports newpool former ncaa champ shannon
sale who helped lead Central Florida to the 2026
NCAA Super Regional Round in softball is joining
Melissa Lombardi's staff at Oregon as an assistant
coach. Sale will primarily be in charge of the
Ducks pitching staff. Staff last year allowed
less than six hits per game. That ranks second
in the Big 12 while she was at Central Florida.
She played Oklahoma. So another Oklahoma. Surprise,
surprise. that tree that continues. Sam Marder
and the Oregon Athletic Department have parted
ways. So Shannon Sale will replace Coach Marder
on the staff. So we'll keep developing this as
it goes along. So Melissa and party making some
changes. And Oregon they got one thing that got
gonna have questions in the circle. He got some
good young pitchers out there still but you know,
you're gonna rely on a sophomore coming in, you're
gonna have to probably bolster that staff. So
we'll keep an eye on that. If you missed any
of Mark Waskowski or Yogi Roth, go back to the
podcast. Another great interview with Was where
he laid out, you know, how the NIL works. And
man, there's there's definitely schools that
you would think, Oh, they don't have any problem
they got to have yet. The pockets that are deep
in some programs are just massive. What I think
what's great about our show today is we got a
chance to talk to yogi about a situation that
seems to be an overarching thing in college football
which inherently is very important in the world
of college sports and we're also seeing kind
of the other side of the coin with the baseball
program which is not a money driven money revenue
driven program and so we're seeing sort of the
the breadth of it all and how it all kind of
works together so You know, I think there's some
good obviously. There's a lot of things. We can
have good bad and ugly Justin. I know We certainly
could so again go back to the podcast Danny and
Justin you can Relive the interview we just had
with was and earlier in the program with yogi
roth and we really appreciate Those guys coming
on as we do all of our guests tomorrow on the
program eric sorenson d1 baseball We'll talk
a lot of portal with stitch head tomorrow from
d1 baseball friday. It'll be chris burkhart Here
on the program so Carolina hurricane we Didn't
really talk about this much the Carolina hurricanes
won the NHL championship over Vegas and the Golden
Knights by the way are not bringing back John
Turrell again after he led them to the finals
And that guy's been bounced around like 20 different
teams in the NHL not surprised by that I know
a lot more about how much they like But the owner
of the Carolina hurricanes is also the owner
of your Portland Trail Blazers Tom Dundon who
I just have to say this week Tiago Splitter is
signed by Chicago Bulls as their new head coach
and Tom Dundon's staff was interviewing candidates
for Tiago Splitter's job during the season during
the playoff run. Which but then he wouldn't interview
them during the carolina hurricanes playoff run
there was it was reported that they paused the
interviews because he was focused on the hurricanes
which Yeah, I don't know so tom Dundon is now
gonna have to find he definitely is not gonna
have Tiago Splitter So any of that taking the
interim label off of Tiago and best of luck to
him. I think he's doing great things in Chicago
I think Portland let one get away my overreaching
question though to you Justin is how concerned
are you as a? Portland supporter not just guys
who might be employed by the Blazers by Tom Dundon
that his approach of I think penny pinching is
too short -sighted to say his His desire to squeeze
every last dollar that he can to say quote -unquote
I'm gonna put it towards the team itself the
players which if you take a look at the top slot
in the NHL in terms of Salary, it doesn't even
come to the midline exception in the NBA. So
it's it's two its apples and machine guns Totally
different ballgame It's no pun intended right
so The next question is is that does it cause
you concern that Tom Dundon's blueprint that
he used with Carolina? Got them a Stanley Cup
and that he could say well look see I did it
me being Tom Dundon in Carolina, and so why can't
I do the same thing in the NBA well? It's not
gonna make him think any Thing else is gonna
work. He's gonna sit there and say well look
what I did in the nhl But are you concerned i'm
definitely concerned if i'm a blazer fan about
it 100 because i'd be too it's it's teaching
somebody bad habits right and that might work
in the nhl. I don't think that style of of running
a team is going to work in the mba and You know,
I think it's interesting because you talk about
tiago splitter The other candidate that the when
there was a few other ones But one of the other
candidates that the Bulls were looking at was
was Mike and Norrie Who is one of the remaining
two candidates for the Blazers? Reportedly reported
candidates along with Tyler Lashbrooke who is
one of the assistants a pretty new assistant
for the Celtics who would in my opinion be the
sort of You're getting him at a low salary Not
exactly sure getting the fourth assistant a bench
and you're gonna give them the range to a franchise
Which I think this hire is going to signal whether
or not Tom Dundon is going to absolutely use
the same blueprint in Portland as he has in Carolina
But the Bulls also chose Tiago Splitter over
Mike and Norrie who the Blazers I have as one
of their candidates So does that mean that he's
a better coach than him? Not necessarily like
they're evaluating different things. I'm sure
but like you said I Definitely think there's
concerns like I don't think this was if you're
a Blazer fan if you were rooting for a team You
probably shouldn't have been rooting for the
Carolina Hurricanes. So I hope the best. I'm
always gonna be the optimist, but I'm not sure
Tom... Dundon's gonna be pulled off of the way
he wants to run a franchise. So, let's do Dad
Joke real quick. Oh, a joke! I know you got more
to say about this. I got a fire from the bank.
Woman asked me to check her balance, so I pushed
her. Dad jokes! What do you call a moose with
no name? Ooh. A moose with a no name. I don't
know, it sounds like a good song though. Anonymous.
Anonymous. I've been through the desert worth
a moose with no name. Felt good to get out of
the Alaska snow. Tomorrow on the program, Eric
Sorensen for T1 baseball and we might have another
edition of Justin karaoke. God bless, put a smile
on your face someone else's they deserve it.
So do you for the crew. Peace.